Dubai theme parks gear up for 2016 openings

Dubai’s two new mega theme parks have revealed more exciting details about their attractions and pass and package prices ahead of their opening later this year.

Both Dubai Parks & Resorts (DPR) and IMG Worlds of Adventure gave delegates attending the recent Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai (April 25-28), a sneak peek of what’s to come as they start their countdown to launch.

The US$1 billion IMG Worlds of Adventure, wholly owned by the Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group (IMG Group), revealed it would open its doors on Monday, 15th August, 2016.

Covering some 1.5 million square feet, IMG Worlds of Adventure, which is now 96 percent complete, will be the first multi-themed destination to open in the region as Dubai looks to ramp up its credentials as an international family entertainment hot spot.

“By offering a fully immersive indoor theme park experience in a temperature controlled environment, this enables IMG Worlds of Adventure to be open all year round,” said Ilyas Galadari and Mustafa Galadari, executive co-chairmen and owners of the Ilyas & Mustafa Galadari Group, both speaking at ATM.

“With the capacity to welcome more than 30,000 people a day we anticipate 4.5 million guests in our first full year of operation, contributing to Dubai’s position as a leading tourism hub.”

Tickets went on sale for IMG Worlds of Adventure on April 25.

IMG Group has also revealed never-seen-before photos and artist impressions of the park’s top attractions at ATM. The indoor theme park will feature four unique worlds inspired by Cartoon Network and Marvel.

DPR also wowed ATM visitors, using Virtual Reality (VR) headsets to give them a thrilling real-to-life experience of the rides and attractions across its three theme parks – the movie-inspired motiongate™ Dubai; Bollywood Parks™ Dubai; and LEGOLAND® Dubai, which will bring the famous LEGO® Bricks to life.

When it opens in October, Dubai Parks & Resorts will be the Middle East’s largest integrated theme park destination.

At ATM, DPR revealed details of its annual passes, which went on sale at the end of April. They offer visitors a range of benefits including unlimited park access, invitations to exclusive preview days, and VIP packages and discounts on food and merchandise.

“Dubai Parks and Resorts is set to transform the leisure tourism sector in Dubai when it opens in October this year,” said DPR CEO Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi.

“Our destination of diverse theme parks will benefit from and contribute to Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020 to take annual visitor numbers to 20 million in 2020.”